The word calligraphy literally means ‘beautiful writing’, creating it requires skill and artistry.
Write your name slowly and carefully in the centre of a piece of paper, in a slightly larger size than you normally would. Consider if there are any differences between this and how you would normally write your name?
Look closely at the arrangement of the letters and see if there are any characteristics that you can emphasise, for example repetition of the same letter, any symmetry or pattern in the shape of the letters as they appear together, or a large number of ascenders or descenders (parts of the letter that are taller, or hang below the line).
Finally write it again using a soft pencil or graphite stick. Ensure you keep the pencil at the same angle as you write in order to achieve the 'thick and thin' effect. Can you come up with a final, stylised version?
– Experiment with further ways of manipulating or embellishing the letters to form a shape made out of words. This is known as a calligram.
–Trial using different media such as fine and thick nibbed pens or markers, pen and ink and brushes. How does this manipulate the look and feel of your lettering?
Arabic LanguageThe Arabic language, and subsequently the art of calligraphy, is held in great esteem by Muslims because Arabic was the language in which the Qu’ran was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad in the 7th century.
Develop ideas for a piece of 2D or 3D art around a word, letter, phrase or poem of your choice, taking as inspiration the concept of writing as an art form and Islamic calligraphy in particular.
Select letters, words, a phrase or poem, it could be directly from an inscription or translation found in the gallery or something more personal to you such as song lyrics or a motto. Consider why you have chosen it? Because of the way it looks or the way it sounds? Or does it have special meaning to you?
What do you want to achieve with this work? Do you want to tell a story or just manipulate letters/words for graphic effect? Think about this as you sketch out design ideas.
–Research the ways other artists and designers have used letters and typography, and how words are manipulated to create different impacts. Make notes, collect examples and develop your working ideas.
–Consider the form, scale, textures, effects and materials of your final design. How are these going to relate to the chosen letters or words?
–Are you going to make a 2D or 3D work or use digital media, such as animation? You could design your own typeface, either by hand or using a graphics programme on a computer.
PurposeMost Islamic art was created for secular contexts, although some was created for religious contexts. It is a common misconception that all Islamic art is religious.
Chose an object in the gallery which includes examples of Islamic Calligraphy. Can you identify what the purpose of this object was?
Think about the choice of lettering in relation to the object, its message, and material and decoration used. What does the writing style say about the object? It does not necessarily have to 'match' or 'fit', it could be deliberately contrasting.
–Design a household product (e.g. Storage container) in which calligraphy or typography is incorporated into the design to indicate the object's use.
–Develop ideas about what text to use, the style of this text and how it will be incorporated in your design. Make simple prototypes (if the product is intended for manufacture), models or mock-ups, and work with a partner to evaluate your design ideas, does the lettering or typography help to communicate the function of the object? Is that important for the object you have chosen to design?